


The First Chirstmas

by Nienor



Series: Christmas Series [5]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Domestic, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:20:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28604343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nienor/pseuds/Nienor
Summary: After ben dating for a year and subsequently moving together, Reid is about to experience his first few traditions like decorating the house and tree just before the big celebration with the Hotchner Household.
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid
Series: Christmas Series [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2040301
Kudos: 31





	1. Decorations and Mistletoe

The first Christmas

Jack was excited as he woke up that day, he was 10 years now and he understands better the thrill of Christmas and getting presents but this one was a bit different; it was the first one he would be spending with Reid and his father after all they had decided to move together. He smiles as he remembers how his father had introduced the genius to him as something more than a friend of his.

He starts to get dressed in his warm clothes before going downstairs where he can listen to Spencer making breakfast, he peaks and sees the younger man adding hotcake batter to one pan. “Morning, papa.”

Spencer turns and smiles at the preteen. “Morning, Jack. I thought you would be still sleeping.”

“Nope, we have a lot of things to do, papa. We need to decorate the house and then we need to decorate the tree.” He said listing with his hands the stuff they needed to do.

Spencer nods at that as he removes the pancake and serves it on a plate for Jack. “Do we really need to do all of that?”

“Yes, is a family tradition and also a good way for you to experience a Christmas tradition,” Aaron said leaning on the doorframe. “Why you didn´t wake me?”

“Figured you could use the extra sleep and it’s not that I don´t enjoy Christmas is more like with my mother we never actually celebrate it and I went to college young.”

Hotch nods and steps into peck his lips before serving a cup of coffee for him and filling a second one for Reid. Once Reid finished making the pancakes, he sat down with his small family and started to add syrup to his plate along with dome fruit. Aaron offered to wash the dishes once they finished so Reid could get changed and ready to go outside.

Jack changed and went outside with Reid to wait for his father, who joined them carrying a box that was marked as yard decorations. “Think you can start with this while I go for the others?”

Jack nods. “I can show papa what to do, and we need the ladder!”

Hotch looks at his boyfriend and then goes back inside the house and towards the basement, he starts to move the other three boxes upstairs and he can hear Jack and Reid moving around and smiles as he listens to the young genius state some facts about what they are doing and Christmas traditions. He goes outside and sees how Spencer is really focused on making sure that the lights that go on the bushes are in the right place and that all the bushes have the right number of lights.

They spend the next couple of hours decorating the yard with different lights and inflatable Santa´s before Hotch gets the ladder and climbs to set the other lights, Spencer is a bit worried but after a bit he starts to give his boyfriend directions as to the perfect distance forming the curves of lights and adding the few ornaments that the Hotchner family usually places around the house.

Jessica arrived around noon and had been inside helping Jack decorate the inside and was now in the kitchen making hot chocolate since she figured the men would need something to warm themselves. She stirs the milk before adding the cocoa powder and looks at the front yard through the window that’s over the sink, she smiles and is glad that his brother-in-law is smiling and what’s even better is to see that Jack is thriving as a kid and thanks to Spencer he is developing a habit to question things around him but also a love for chemistry, mathematics not rally since the boy has trouble with them but in science, he is doing great and has participated in different school fairs. She knows her sister would be happy that her boys are doing great even if Hotch and Reid still work at the FBI in the BAU. She gets out some cups and turns off the stove before she fills them with the chocolate and then adds some marshmallows before going outside and calling them in.

Both adults thank her as they made their way inside carrying the empty boxes. Reid warms his hands and sniffs the air. “That smells pretty great.” He turns and looks at the inside of the two-story house and realizes that is now decorated with different garlands and decorations and in the living room there’s the tree still bare but there’s a box near it.

“Here you go, boys.” Jessica walks into the living room with a tray full of steaming cups.

Jack follows her and sits on the couch before he grabs the special one that has an ice cube in it.

Spencer and Aaron made their way but stop when Jack squeals and looks up, the adults follow his lead and notice mistletoe on the archway. Aaron looks at the younger man. “I think we should kiss unless we want bad luck.”

“What? Aaron, there´s no scientific proof that not kissing or kissing gives bad luck, and luck is a concept people use to explain their success or failure at something when in reality is just their actions affecting in a logical way…” He is interrupted by the feeling of warm lips over his and a hand wrapping his slim waist.

“Just follow the traditions.” Hotch grins and sits down on the loveseat before grabbing his cup of hot chocolate.

Reid sits next to him blushing a little and hopes the others think is just the cold as he sips from his cup.

They finished their drinks and start to decorate the tree with the ornaments, some are homemade while others seem old which means they have been passed through the years and Spencer finds that interesting and makes a note to research some of the models. Once it's only the star that is missing, Hotch picks Jack up and lets the kid place it at the top of the three.

They take a few steps back and look at their handiwork and smile and Spencer has to agree that even if he finds some inaccuracies with the traditions and what they mean the sight of seeing Hotch and Jack with gleeful smiles makes it worth it.


	2. Chirstmas Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team goes on a case a few days before Christmas. Jack isn´t very happy about it, but he understands that's the job of his father and his boyfriend.

Christmas Dinner

The next few days are spent with the baking of gingerbread cookies. Tonight, they are in the living room and Spencer is making sure their icing and cookies are the right sizes so he can start to assemble a giber bread house, modeled after their own house, Aaron and Jack are building one not worried about the except measurements or that is accurate they are just having fun.

“you are supposed to just build something simple, Spence.” Jack looks at the first level of Spencer´s house.

“I know but Jack if I want the house to be able, I need to be very careful with the icing and not add more than what’s necessary and hey this is fun for me.”

Jack nods at that and keeps adding gummy bears to his house when the sound of Aaron’s phone startles them.

“Hotchner.” He said as he left to the kitchen, he returns a few minutes later. “We have a case.”

“But dad… what about Christmas?” Jack asks looking at them.

“With luck will be in time for it, Jack and then we will Show Spencer how to really celebrate, and f not we can do it a bit after Christmas day, okay?”

Jack sighs a bit but nods knowing his parents have to catch the bad guys and that they are the best at their job.

Aaron spends the next minutes calling Jessica and asking if she can watch Jack which she agrees to and promises to be there as soon as possible. Spencer meanwhile went to their rooms to gather their go bags.

In less than 20 minutes they are arriving at the plane, the team is already there. They get in and everyone seats down.

“Sorry to interrupt your afternoon, but we got a case in Kansas.” Hotch starts to explain as soon as the plane takes off.

Garcia´s face shows up on the table. “Hey, fearless leader… so I hope you packed your winter clothes since where you´re going is cold and not just the weather.” She shows them the pictures that were sent to them.

“This morning the Lebanon Police department found a body in a freezing tub inside a motel room,” Garcia explains as the team looks at the pictures. “Since the body was in cold water is difficult for them to get the time of death.”

“Why were we called?” Morgan asks.

“Because that’s the fourth body that’s found in the same way in that town, my chocolate god,” Garcia said. “I´m sending you the reports and pictures of the other bodies.” After that, she disconnects.

“All victims seem to be between 20-25 years of age,” JJ said as they start to brainstorm the information they have gathered.

“Yes, but there is a pattern…” Reid looks at them. “He makes sure the body looks like is sleeping and the way he arranges the hands... as if they were praying and he closes their eyes also before they found them is being a long time and the extremities are a mix of purple and blue which suggests they were in the cold before their death, a dead body can’t emanate heat so it shouldn’t turn that shade if it placed in ice… the unsub must have kept them alive before...”

Hotch nods at that. “We are going to the hotel first thing then we can see about how to approach the case. Now let´s try to get some shut-eye. We still have around 4 hours of flight.”

The others nodded and each got as comfortable as they could to sleep. They arrived around 1 at Lincoln Airport where they proceed to get a rental SUV´s and Hotch drove for the next hour and a half to Lebanon.

“So, what do we know about this place?” Morgan asks.

“Lebanon Kansas is a small rural town with a population of 230 habitats, there are a high school and several small businesses.” Reid said looking up from a book he was reading. “It’s also very near the state limit with Nebraska. And from what I gathered.”

Prentis nods at that information. “Hopefully since it’s a small town we can close the case soon, I had plans for Christmas.”

“I hope so too.” JJ sighs.

Once they arrived and got comfortable in the hotel that was an inn, with not a lot of rooms but it offered a cozy setting, thankfully it wasn’t snowing nut there was snow on the streets.

Hoth met with the team in the small lobby at 8. “Reid and Rossi, go to the last crime scene, Morgan and Prentis you go talk with the family, and JJ and I will go to the station. Since as you can see this is a small town our presence will be noticed so be alert and I will see you at the station unless something else happens.”

The team went their separate ways walking except Rossi and Reid who had to drive to the motel on the outskirts of town.

Reid squeals a bit as they pass an exit. Rossi looks at him. “Everything okay, kid?”

“Yeah... no! we need to come back here after the case, Rossi, that exit would take us to the Geographic Center of the U.S. If we are there then that means is the center of the 48 states of the country. I honestly didn´t know we were so close to it.” He smiles

Rossi shakes his head amused before parking at the motel. They spent a bit there looking at the surrounding area and asked about the guest but that takes them nowhere since the person that checked in was the victim. They leave after that and go back to join the team.

Reid goes to a small room to start working on the geographical profile, while the team bounces ideas about what they have found.

It takes them another body and two days later they finally get a break as the unsub slips and the security camera of another motel a town over called Smith Center. He had thought the woman had died but she lived, they found her just in time according to the medical report but they had now a face and Garcia soon found out the name and place where the unsub lived. He was a local from Lebanon. And it only took Hotch 30 minutes to get him to talk and explain how he had seen an angel who possesses girls so he was in fact helping preserve the body so the angel had a vessel for the future when the apocalypse was supposed to start.

“Thanks for the help agent.” The sheriff told Hoth as they started to get ready to drive back to the Lincoln.

“I´m just glad we caught him and that we didn’t get another body, Sheriff.” Hotch shakes his hand and then gets in the SUV.

“Before we go can we please go and see the center of the U.S?” Reid asks looking like an excited puppy.

“Fine but we only have like an hour before we need to get on the road for real,” Hotch said and starts to drive along the 281 highway.

They arrived at the sort of crossroad and hotch parks along the road since there’s no parking spot.

Reid goes to the square where there are a flag and a bench. He sits down and gazes around, the place is a bit above ground so the team has a view of the fields and there’s a clear sky. The icy wind moves the flag that waves.

“Well, this place sure has its charm.” Rossi removes his sunglasses to appreciate the view. 

“Even if it's freezing,” Morgan adds as he examines the small church that’s near them.

Hotch nods and soon they are finally on their way back to Virginia.

The team is glad to be warm again and in good spirits since their Christmas plans are going alright and they will arrive in time for Christmas eve. The team goes to the bullpen and waits as Hotch goes to his office to make some calls and announce they are back.

Garcia joins the rest of the team asking why they took so long and then asks how was their trip.

Hotch smiles as he joins them. “We have the week off; I suggest you enjoy the rest of the celebrations.”

The team is very happy to hear that.

“We should celebrate together,” Garcia suggests as she looks at Rossi.

The older man chuckles a little. “I can lend my house and we can celebrate on the 26th.”

The other agreed and soon they made plans about what to bring and then slowly they start to leave, the only ones that stay are Hotch and Reid.

“Ready to go home?” Hotch asks grabbing his coat and bag

Reid nods and waits until they are walking towards their car to hold his hand. “I’m sure Jack will be over the moon that we arrive on time for my first Christmas dinner with you guys.”

“Oh, I´m sure he will.” Hotch smiles the kind of smile that’s reserve for his boyfriend and son.

On Christmas Eve the Hotchner household is invaded by the smells of different warm foods, starting from the slightly salty and citrusy turkey to the sweet smell of apple pie. Spencer helps set the table for four and Jack shows him how to make popcorn garlands, while they wait for Jessica and Aaron to cook. Spencer had been told to just sit after he had tried to correct Aaron and to follow the recipe but Aaron told him that he usually never used one to cook the turkey and that even if it said a cup of orange juice it was not enough and it wouldn’t make the flavor worked. The genius had been a bit reluctant about it but decided to be with Jack and avoid the anxiety he felt when the other didn’t follow the instructions.

At around 7 the family sat down around the table and they started to eat the food and Spencer had to agreed that not always the instructions were right and that once could alternate a few things to get better results.

Jack giggles as Spencer takes time to tell how the traditions to eat turkey began but doesn’t interrupt the young man, knowing that he usually at work didn’t get the chance to talk as much as he wanted about a specific topic.

Once they had finished eating, they went to watch some Christmas movies after Jessica waved goodbye but promised to be back the next day for the presents.

Spencer and Aaron took a sleeping bed to bed and tuck him in before they went to their own room.

Spencer changed his clothes and smiled. “I can see why Jack was so excited about me spending Christmas with you and what a _REAL_ Christmas dinner was like.”

Aaron climbs in the bed and smiles. “I´m glad you enjoyed it, now we should sleep, Jack tends to wake up around 6 to open presents.” He turns and kisses the young man on the lips.

The next morning, they are woken by Jack who is very excited to open the presents. Reid groans a little since he needs his coffee to actually be functional.

“I´ll make coffee and chocolate, you have like ten minutes to be ready before Jack comes here.” Hotch kisses his cheek before grabbing a blue robe and going downstairs to make the hot cocoa with marshmallows and coffee for Spencer. He also checks his pocket; he is almost done when Jessica arrives looking a bit too cheerful for the time.

“Can we open the presents now?” Jack asks from the door of the kitchen.

“Go for Spence and then we can start with them.” Aaron places the cups on a tray and goes to the living room, he asks Jessica about her drive and just then a still sleepy Reid walks downstairs with Jack who is pulling him towards the loveseat.

Aaron hands Reid his cup of coffee and Jack kneels under the tree and hands the presents to each of them and then starts to open his presents, he got a magic kid from spencer and a new football from his father, Jessica had giving him three tickets for a professional match. The boy thanks them and then looks at them. “It´s your turn to open your presents.”

Jessica nods and starts showing them the knitting book and a new keychain. “Thanks, guys, now I have something to do when I´m bored.” She giggles before opening Aaron´s gift which was a gift card for a spa.

Aaron nods and looks at Spencer. “Now it´s my turn…” he stands up and his hand trembles a bit, not that Spencer was looking but Jessica did and she covered her mouth. Jack frowns confused at why her aunt is covering her mouth but when his father gets on a bended knee and understanding downs on him and he can’t help the smile on his face.

“Doctor Spencer Reid, I can´t predict how life will be when the decades fly by, but I promise that even when we get old, I will crush on you just like how I have been since our very first date… and I know I will love you forever, even if you say forever is not real, I have to say it is for me as long as you are with me to see it… Will you marry me?”

Spencer had been in the middle of drinking his cup when he heard Aaron, he slowly turns to look at him expecting to find the man sitting next to him but he wasn’t there, he looked a bit down and for a moment he didn´t know what to say, it was the first time that his brain was trying to catch up with his surroundings finally he manages to speak.

“Yes, Aaron.” He said and felt the simple wood band with an infinity symbol slip on his finger before he finds himself in a hug and felt lips against his. He could hear Jack clapping with Jessica.

THE END.

p.s The engagement ring is a bit like this one but without the "love" part.


End file.
